Sacramento Plans for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

The city wants to install a network of more than 3,000 charging stations, with a focus on underserved communities.

2 minute read

August 9, 2021, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Electric Vehicle Charging

MikesPhotos / Pixabay

"By 2025, the city of Sacramento wants 75,000 zero-emission vehicles on the road, according to a city plan adopted in 2017," writes Isabella Bloom. "It estimates it needs 3,800 charging stations to support that kind of fleet. As of 2020, the city had installed fewer than 700 charging stations," most in dense areas near government offices and freeways. Meanwhile, rural areas and "zip codes with higher percentages of non-white residents" have the fewest charging stations. 

Gil Tal, the director of the Plug-in Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Research Center at the University of California, Davis, urges prioritizing these areas. "Disadvantaged communities many times suffer from bad air quality because they are next to traffic routes or next to industry or just less desirable locations," says Tal. "Electrifying these areas are, I think, higher priority, not just because of greenhouse gases, but also because of local air pollution."

While most electric vehicle owners rely on charging their cars at home, "many low-to-moderate-income people who live in apartments or affordable housing may find installing and accessing charging infrastructure is more complicated." Encouraging more widespread EV use in these communities means providing ready access to chargers for residents of multi-unit buildings. "The city recently received a $1.8 million grant from the California Energy Commission that will allow it to provide Level 2 chargers at 13 community centers and libraries, primarily in low-income neighborhoods, including Coloma and Colonial Heights." Sacramento has also introduced an electric car sharing program "to introduce more electric cars and stations to low-income neighborhoods" and passed an ordinance that "will require new nonresidential and multifamily developments to include electric vehicle infrastructure."

Statewide, "[t]he California Energy Commission estimates the state needs 1.2 million public and shared private chargers by 2030 to support the number of electric vehicles expected to be on the road by then."

Friday, August 6, 2021 in Sacramento Bee

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

"Altadena - Not For Sale" yard sign in front of burned down house after Eaton Fire in Altadena, California in January 2025.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations

Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

July 7 - Dwell

Dense multistory residential buildings in hilly San Francisco, California.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean

Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

July 7 - The San Francisco Standard

Blue self-driving Ford Transit van shuttle in Jacksonville, Florida.

Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US

A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.

July 7 - Smart Cities Dive

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA